


Symphony

by FrozenHearts



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alec Lightwood & Jace Wayland Friendship, Alec Lightwood Deserves Nice Things, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Alternate Universe - This World Inverted (Shadowhunters TV), Angst, Bisexual Clary Fray, Canon Compliant, Character Study, Clary Fray & Alec Lightwood Friendship, Dorks in Love, F/M, Falling In Love, Fluff and Angst, Help, How Do I Tag, I Don't Even Know, Insecurity, Jace Wayland Deserves Nice Things, Jace Wayland Feels, Love, M/M, Magnus Bane Is A Freewheeling Bisexual, My first Soulmate AU, Nervousness, Pining, Romance, Romantic Soulmates, Someone stop me, Soulmates, What am I doing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-12
Updated: 2017-07-12
Packaged: 2018-11-30 11:28:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,877
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11462643
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FrozenHearts/pseuds/FrozenHearts
Summary: Clary heard a symphony when she finally talked to her soulmate.





	Symphony

**Author's Note:**

  * For [binlar_lover](https://archiveofourown.org/users/binlar_lover/gifts).



> Okay just so the tags don't get confusing, I decided just to tag as well the alternate characters and relationships because the au episode was a modern setting without the powers and this fic is a modern setting, but i also wanted to use the main characters, no the alternate.
> 
> In this fic, they are all one person- alternate Jace and regular Jace are one dude, alternate Clary and regular Clary are one girl, and so on and so forth.
> 
> I also used the tags because I was confused as to how the tags would go in regards to the fic and the episode, but you could probably already tell. Just, there are no powers or Shadowhunters in this fic, everyone is a normal person.

Clary knew she should probably just talk to him. Every day, she saw him walk into the studio, every day she watched as he admired the paintings on the walls, stopping to tilt his head every so often. Strands of blond hair would fall in his face, and Clary would find herself blushing at the thought of wanting to push them back, wanting to ruffle his hair and maybe explain the difference between Van Gogh and Picasso if he asked.

She knew he wouldn't ask, because she would never work up the courage to talk to him. The gallery was one of her favorite places to be, filled with her mom's work and some of Luke's attempts at pottery- multiple people had actually considered them to be "true art" (whatever that meant), but the pieces always stayed, an ugly mug next to a bright yellow canvas, a contrast of two working as one. Clary watched as the boy eyed one of the mugs curiously, tugging on the cuff of his sleeve as he bent down to get a better look.

His hair was in his face again as he worried his lower lip. He was only a few feet away, Clary figured, it should be easy to talk to him. Maybe tell him she liked the color of his sweater or that his shoe was untied. Clary stole a look at his feet- plain black sneakers, but no untied laces in sight. The boy moved around the podium, trying to get every angle of Luke's horrific mug in, as if he was trying to pan-sear it into his brain like a steak and vegetables in oil.

Gulping, Clary checked her watch. Five o' clock- the gallery would be closing. She'd have to go home.

Maybe she'd call Magnus and ask for advice. He always knew what to do when it came to crushes.

\------

Her mother, Jocelyn, once explained soulmates to her, back when she was a little girl, still wanting to hear stories of whimsy and magic and all things unicorns. So Jocelyn would oblige, making sure to spin the most fantastical tale possible it would send Clary into fits of giggles and dreams full of dragons and rainbows and handsome princes.

"If you meet them multiple times, in the same place, then it's meant to be," Jocelyn said one night.

"But what if I don't feel it?" Clary asked, "Shouldn't I feel something?"

Jocelyn smiled, "The feeling is the best part."

At this, Clary would often tilt her head, frowning as her mother tucked her in, asking fervently, "But how will I know? Like you and Luke?"

"Trust me, darling," Jocelyn said every time, "You'll know."

Looking back on that conversation, Clary knew it probably wasn't the best explanation to give at the time. Jocelyn and Luke had just clicked, and it hadn't even occurred to Clary they were soulmates until they sat her down and explained it. The talk then was awkward, but Clary thought she now understood what her mother was trying to say. Sitting in Magnus's living room now drinking tea, he had the same message.

"When I met Alec," Magnus said, "It was like fireworks. You know the rush you get from being on a roller coaster?"

Clary grinned, "Yeah, I guess? I was never one for roller coasters." The mug was warm in her hands, steam wafting up to tickle her nose.

Magnus rolled his eyes, "You Frays were never roller coaster people, I know. But you know what I'm talking about? Meeting your soulmate is like that."

Clary set down her mug, ignoring Magnus's disdain at her not using a coaster. Really, it was his fault for having such an expensive glass coffee table; a table was used to have things on it, why would they need to protect it? They were sturdy things, and she expected every table to support her cups and plates fully. The tea swirled in her cup, the ceramic making a creak as she slid it against the glass.

"So does it feel like fireworks or a roller coaster?" Clary asked, "Because when I asked Alec he said it felt tripping over his own two feet along with wanting to puke as he fell down three flights of stairs."

Magnus scoffed, running a hand through his hair. It was a habit Clary had noticed, and whenever she third-wheeled their dates, Magnus liked to run his hands through Alec's hair too. He picked up his own mug, taking a loud sip, "Doesn't matter how it felt to me, biscuit. You'll know when the time comes."

Clary pursed her lips. She was starting to really not like that phrase. It meant waiting. And the longer she waited, the more time she had to think; the blond boy at the gallery could only occupy so much of her brain, but he really was gorgeous, with his high cheekbones and floppy hair and full lips. Was this what it was like to have a soulmate? Thinking about them nonstop? She asked Magnus, who grinned behind his mug. Her own tea was getting cold, steam no longer rising from it.

"You think you saw him?" Magnus asked.

"I think so?" Clary said, "I mean, I see him at the gallery a lot and he always looks at Luke's mugs-"

"Those should not even be considered mugs, more like ancient artifacts," Magnus muttered.

"-and I think he is my soulmate, you know?" Clary finished, "Like I feel kinda.... weird, if that's the right word? Like your roller coaster thing, y' know?"

Of course, Magnus did know. He went on to regale Clary with the story of how he met Alec, how he swept that tall black haired boy off his feet and how it felt like the fourth of July all over again.

Clary drank the rest of her tea, the mug now cool against her fingers. The bag inside was soggy.

\------

The boy finally came up to her the next week.

Clary had been fidgeting with one of her mother's paintings, as the curator had hung it crooked in the frame. The sign said not to touch the artwork, but seeing as it was her mother's gallery, she couldn't help it, leaning over just enough to not touch the velvet ropes and being able to grip the corners with her fingers to tilt it just ever so slightly to the left.

"Do I need to call security for theft?"

Clary yelped, jumping back as a voice chuckled. Face burning, she whirled around, ready to snap at whoever it was that scared her-

Only to falter at the bright smile of the same blond boy she had seen at the gallery for the past month. He was wearing a black t-shirt, and Clary noticed ink sneaking out onto his arms. He ran a hand through his hair, his smile turning even brighter as Clary just stared, wide-eyed. She probably looked like a deer in the headlights, she stood there for so long.

"Are you okay?" the boy chuckled, "You almost took quite a nasty spill there."

Clary tugged at the ends of her hair, managing to squeak, "I-I just- it was my mother's painting and it w-was crooked-!"

He held a hand up in mock defense, "No worries, I won't report you to the authorities. I don't think they have the time to deal with red haired art thieves."

Clary grinned, her laugh sounding more like a bark- of course, she couldn't have one of those cutesy quiet laughs, no she had to sound like the horn of a freight car about to sneeze. Her face was probably as red as her hair, but here he was, right in front of her. Talking to her as if they were already acquaintances, as if they were the only people in the gallery.

(To be fair, Clary really was the only other person who came to the gallery very often.)

The boy broke through Clary's train of thought, "I've seen you around here, y' know."

Clary scoffed, "I mean, my mom owns the gallery. I'm always here."

The boy ducked his head, turning to Jocelyn's painting. The frame was now more crooked than before, the velvet rope lying on the floor from Clary's almost-fall.

"I like to think this one is about soulmates."

Clary blinked. "What?"

"The painting," the boy said, "the way the dark and light colors mix, despite the obvious clashes. It describes soulmates pretty well, wouldn't you say?"

Clary nodded, "I watched my mom paint this one. I didn't think it was much at first, and to be honest, I'm not a fan of the colors."

The boy didn't say anything, keeping his gaze thoughtfully on the piece. Stealing a glance, Clary had time to really look at him now; his cheekbones were sharp and angled, his lips a pretty pink. Streaks of brown peppered his blond hair and it took her a few seconds, but his eyes were two different colors- one blue, the other brown, with blue seeping in to meld at the pupil. She couldn't remember the term, but they were pretty.

"Like your eyes?" Clary suddenly blurted, clapping a hand over her mouth as he looked at her.

"My eyes?" he asked, "What about them?"

Crap. She was in deep shit now. Wracking her brain, Clary found herself stumbling over her words, "I-I mean, your one eye, it's blue and the other is a mix of blue and brown, and since you were talking about the painting reminding you of soulmates, and let's be real I've seen you in here everyday for the past month or so-"

Oh, Clary wished a god would smite her where she stood. Why was she still talking? She was going to embarrass herself, and he would think she was weird and creepy-

What if he already thought that?

Clary bit her lip, letting her rambling trail off. The look on the boy's face was one she couldn't decipher, although it was easy to pick confusion from the bunch.

"Despite the fact that what you just said is slightly weird," the boy chuckled, raisin an eyebrow, "What I'm about to say might be a bit weirder."

Clary tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, "It can't be that bad. I just made myself look like a weird stalker like, twice now."

"What's your name?" he asked, "Just so I don't have to call you Weird Stalker Girl."

Clary giggled, "Clary Fray."

The boy grinned, "A pretty name for a pretty girl. Well, Clary, I'm Jace, and- I can't believe I'm saying this- I'm your soulmate."

Suddenly, Clary knew what Magnus was talking about. A deep feeling in her gut- almost like she was going to puke, but not really. It traveled up her body, and for a second, she thought she might actually be sick, but puke never came. She heard it. She heard what Magnus was talking about. Instead of a roller coaster, however, or fireworks popping in the night sky, she heard clear notes, cellos and violins and a piano all at once, all harmonious as the realization dawned on her.

Clary heard a symphony when she finally talked to her soulmate. And Jace gave her that symphony.

**Author's Note:**

> This was a gift for binlar-lover over on Tumblr, I hope you like it! This is my first time writing a soulmate au it was a lot of fun!
> 
> And I'm sorry it got so crappy at the end, I'm going on vacation soon so I wanted to get this done as soon as possible because I wouldn't have access to a computer for a while.


End file.
